which isnt free, which may be useful to fix my own swfs and look at how those of others are built.

Do you think that's ok to do? I mean, is it a standard optimization/debugging technique - to use decompilers?

And, considering that one of my issues with my own swfs is that they are processor intensive due to the use of lots of FLVPlayback, timers that regenerated objects, and plenty much goings on, do you think that a decompiler tool can help me optimize these issues when i upload my work to my website?

Having installed SOthink SWF Decompiler, it does not appear that it is possible to get hold of a swf that's online, on my own website for example, and download it to my computer in order to decompile it.

So, while there may be benefits to decompiling, unless your website is hacked and the hacker manages to download your swf, the decompiler is useless in terms of breaching password protection built into the swf.

(you can use "view source" on the site to find the swf name), view that html from your hard disk and then right-click the link.to download the swf - that definitely is not hacking ... just using the elements of a website other than the author intended

just downloaded Amayeta swfEncrypt6.0 Trial and will try it on a swf. Do you know if it can be used on ActionScript files such as DocumentClass.as?

And, do you know what happens with flv in a swf, flv that's NOT embedded in the swf but rather plays via an FLVPlayback component on the stage of the swf and has a source that's in a separate folder on your website, is that also as vulnerable/decompilable?

Using Firefox i was unable to access the flv on my own website, as opposed to the swf. But once it's playing in an HTML is it recoverable, if i lose it for example?

Hi. Yes. Thank you birnerseff. I managed using Dw. The point of seeing how easy it is to save a swf to disk, was - to consider whether or not to encrypt swfs or copyright them w/open source license.

Going with encryption can break the code while Creative Commons licenses protect your copyrights but also enables those folks who want to go to all that trouble of saving and decompiling your swfs, to really appreciate your work, assuming they can open it in Flash to see AND understand how it is built/setup.

So thanks birnerseff for explaining 'how to', and kglad for telling reminding me about decompilers.

Hi bisguard, I wanted to try your tool, but no luck... So may I ask you

a) cross-platform: is Air required to play to protected file, or just to add the protection?

I am asking this, because Adobe has cancelled Air for Linux some time ago, and the latest version available is 2.6 (and even that does not install - the installer leaves the "helpful" message that it could not find the runtime it was supposed to install)

b) while I believe that your tool can prevent people trying to "understand" code or utilize embedded media, would it also help against people trying to sniff and forge data on the internet connection?